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Image posted by john mcgraw
Submitted on Friday, 13th July 2007
With picture contributions to 21040 other pubs
View all this pub's pictures (15 more images)
Detail Pages
Rain Bar, Manchester
Manchester
M1 5JG
Served areas

Reviews of Rain Bar (Average Rating: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Rob Hunter left this review about Rain Bar
Currently closed until further notice according to a sign in the window. However the web site offers a glimmer of hope, advising they plan to reopen on 2nd September. This is a fairly large pub with a big outside area to the rear, so I imagine this will be one of the more viable pubs to open with social distancing guidelines in place.
On 19th August 2020
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 540 recommendations about 481 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about Rain Bar
This is a interesting old building, apparently John Willie Lees' flagship pub, the name Rain Bar does not reflect the regular Manchester weather but due to the pub once being an umbrella factory. A central bar with the boarded room wrapping around either side, some high tables towards the frontage and better booth type options to the rear. Down a few steps at the back is a partly separated area and the front corner has a snug which has a fire going and a picture above of some young bloke who looked rather unsettling to me.
Possibly the best seats are outside, a tiered area overlooks the Rochdale canal, I visited on an unseasonal sunny Manchester early lunchtime, it was a splendid spot to sit.
Lots of exposed brickwork, old beamed and unboarded ceiling.
JW Lees beers, Bitter, MPA, The Governer and Drayman's Reward. Food served, I was in early doors on Friday, lots of groups were ordering food already around 12. A nice well appointed spot, bet it is heaving at night.
On 15th November 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1687 recommendations about 1663 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about Rain Bar
A large and imposing pub located just a stone’s throw from Oxford Street station, the pub covers the ground floor of the building and is largely one open plan room, although with a couple of segregated areas off of it and a separate function room where a gospel choir were in full voice on a recent Monday evening visit.
The wood panelled bar counter is in the middle of the room with seating all around it. Bench seating at the rear was separated in to cubicles with wooden partitioning. Decor wise, the floor is polished wood with some chequered inlaid tiles in places and there was much exposed brick work which had been painted cream along the front wall. A tiny snug area was off to one side down a few steps, and there was another room at the front with wood panelling on the walls and a roaring fire making it somewhat reminiscent of a hotel drawing room.
The menu looked to be a fairly standard pub grub affair with options such as cod & chips, sausage & mash, chilli con carne and chicken Tikka Masala as well as a number of grills, sharing platters and pies. Most of the main courses were in the £8 - £10 range.
Beers on tap were predominantly from JW Lees with their Bitter, Archer Stout and Manchester Pale Ale as well as Marco Pierre-White’s The Guvnor. The solitary cider was Strongbow, unfortunately. All in all this is a solid enough pub I suppose, but there are several other options within a short stroll that are far preferable.
On 6th March 2015
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1749 recommendations about 1684 pubs]
View more reviews of Rain Bar (8)
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- Official site of Rain Bar - www.rain-bar.co.uk
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Deansgate, 0.34 miles, 6 min walk (show)
Manchester Piccadilly, 0.8 miles, 15 min walk (show)
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Function Room : Yes - According to Twitter - last updated 21 July 2015 by Dave McNally
- Hot Food : Yes last updated 07 August 2013 by David McNally
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 29 July 2013 by Dave McNally
- WiFi : Yes last updated 07 August 2013 by David McNally